Cast On

144 All this buttoning and unbuttoning* Feb 20, 2021

The title of this episode is said to hail from an 18th century suicide note, although the anecdote is, apparently, apocryphal. That said, when it comes to knitwear closures, I can definitely relate. Fortunately, there are better and more creative ways to minimize knitwear misbehavior, according to this week's guest, Laura Bellows, of JUL Designs.

Purple Triangles Feb 13, 2021

Working the Ropeline Feb 06, 2021

Second Tier Biscuits and Naked Ladies Jan 23, 2021

I know there's a pandemic on, but the great biscuit shortage of 2020 felt extremely personal.

Wednesday to Wednesday Jan 16, 2021

Watching democracy almost die makes me cranky. There was a clear choice between donning the pants of crazy, OR hunkering down and making stuff. I chose the latter.

Prose into Poetry Jan 09, 2021

This week I'm looking for more than assembly, order or editing. The novus jacket leaves many questions unanswered. 100 Acts of Sewing are considered, with Sonya Phillip. I think I'm getting the hang of it.

138 Full of things that have never been Jan 02, 2021

Celebrate endings, for they precede new beginnings. Grieve the loss of the countless instants that you will never taste again; Never to touch or to experience the same moment the same way again. Commemorate the fallen whose hands once held warm, But now bare the touch of Winter's frost.To remember those who will not venture into the New Year with us, And to celebrate the fresh creation of life to soon release first breath to the world. Honor the first day that grants our renewed life, And prepare to discover new love and self-growth.

- Rilke

Giving shy persons the strength to do what needs to be done Dec 12, 2020

It is said the past is a foreign country, and this week my passport received a number of new stamps. Kirsty Hall pays a visit to the past as well, through her Granny’s Book. And I find the courage to do what needs to be done. It's all about self care.

136 The How and the Why Dec 05, 2020

Kicking off the first episode of Series 14, Mothers of Unvention, with conversations about the process of design, beginning with constructive discontent in identifying a problem, and the deep dive of immersion needed to find a solution. Don't knit like Antonio Banderas.

135: The Many Brendas Nov 21, 2020

Finding my way out of the emotional wilderness, with a little help from the Brendas; my Quilt of Dreams and Placemats of Awesome; Naomi Parkhurst makes words into stitches. Remembering A Snow Day.

134 You Are Here Oct 24, 2020

Today we’re talking about space. Not space, the final frontier. The space we inhabit. The space where we store things. The space we’re allowed. The space in our homes that belongs to just to us. Guest, Lilo Bowman, offers advice for taking control of your creative space, from the purge and sort, to organizing, to making your creative space work reflect you.

133: I'm Back! Oct 10, 2020

Episode Whatever: Not a Podcast Sep 25, 2020

The one after five years.

Mood Ring: Confessions of a serial dyer Jul 07, 2015

The one about indigo.

CODA: Equilibrium Apr 02, 2015

The one where you like me. You really like me.

Episode 132: Epic Bind Off Oct 31, 2014

The last one.

Episode 131: And the knitting is easy Jul 11, 2014

The one where I'm hot.

Episode 130: Coming Home Jun 30, 2014

The one on the beach.

Episode 129: Carcast May 03, 2014

The one with Sarah Anderson.

Episode 128: Clifford Byway Apr 04, 2014

The one with Tennessee Williams.

Episode 127: Is This Thing On Mar 07, 2014

The one with JC Briar.

Episode 126: Bedcast Apr 04, 2013

The one with the uke jam.

Episode 125: My own private Oregon Jan 31, 2013

Visiting your home town as a tourist is bittersweet.

Episode 124: A little wired Dec 02, 2012

Sounds like San Francicso.

Episode 123: Dances with wool (again) Nov 02, 2012

Wool. Nuf said.

Episode 122: Wing on Wing Sep 14, 2012

Look. Point.

Episode 121: Down on the Farm Sep 07, 2012

The colourful world of Kristen Nicholas.

Episode 120: I Heart New York Aug 09, 2012

The streets of NYC, sounds of Grand Central Station, and interviews with some of the people who make the yarn happen.

Episode 118: The Road Jul 05, 2012

The road doesn't know your name.

Episode 116: Changing horses mid-stream Apr 17, 2012

I drop some balls, and pick up other ones.

Episode 115: Raising a Glass Mar 30, 2012

simply saying goodbye

Episode 114: Femiknitter Mar 14, 2012

The Snatchel Campaign

Episode 113: Reknitting Mar 02, 2012

Daffodils and leeks for all.

Episode 113: Reknitting Redo Mar 02, 2012

Daffodils and leeks for all.

Episode 112: Becoming Feb 17, 2012

Science doens't know everything. But science knows it doesn't know everything. Otherwise it would stop.

Episode 111: Ubiquitous Feb 10, 2012

Meus professio pro vestri viaticus.

Episode 110: We all fall down Jan 27, 2012

I am a super trouper.

Episode 109: All Art is Beta Jan 13, 2012

The salad days of podcasting.

Episode 108: Stand and stare Jan 06, 2012

I knit so I don't kill you.

Episode 107: The Stockings Were Hung Dec 16, 2011

Cast On, on ice.

Episode 106: Golden Seams Dec 09, 2011

When the darning shows.

Episode 105: A Little Bit of Everything Dec 02, 2011

Sometimes it just needs to be about the knitting.

Episode 104: Different is Different Nov 24, 2011

Gratitudes and platitudes.

Episode 103: One Step Out Nov 18, 2011

I want to be Dorli Rainey when I grow up.

Episode 102: The Looking Moment Nov 11, 2011

I made that.

Episode 101: Remember Remember Nov 04, 2011

Gunpowder. Treason. Plot.

Episode 100: In My Craft Aug 10, 2011

For the lovers, who pay no praise or wages, nor heed my craft or art.

Episode 99: Meta Jul 09, 2011

Data about data.

Episode 98: The Phantom Menace Feb 15, 2011

The force is strong in this one.

Episode 97: Sharing the Joy Jan 01, 2011

You really can't argue with Socrates.

Episode 96: Simple Gifts Nov 23, 2010

Not quite Thanksgiving, but we are still thankful.

Episode 95: Tighty Aran Whities Nov 11, 2010

Trend setting knitwear, or fashion crime. It could go either way, really.

Episode 94: Keeping the Faith Nov 05, 2010

Stoic. That word does not mean what you think it means.

Episode 93: Autumn Cliche Oct 29, 2010

One sock. That is all. Pathetic.

Episode 92: Talking about talking about knitting Oct 16, 2010

How many projects, exactly, would be too many.

Episode 91: How to Be a Poet May 28, 2010

Another walk in the woods.

Episode 90: Snowed In Jan 08, 2010

A walk in the woods.

Episode 89: Occam's Knitting Dec 31, 2009

Lessons from a 14th century logician.

Episode 88: Parade Will Circle the Town Twice Nov 27, 2009

Tea Trolley Blamed for Death Blaze.

Episode 87: In the Bro Nov 16, 2009

This is how we roll.

Episode 86: Anniversarius Podcastia Oct 31, 2009

What I did last summer.

Episode 85: Sixty Six Coupons Aug 06, 2009

On doing without.

Episode 84: Industrial Fashion Jul 24, 2009

The high cost of stuff.

Episode 83: Rinse. Repeat. Jul 03, 2009

RainCast 2009

Episode 82: Reap What You Sew Jun 26, 2009

Mending clothes and community.

Episode 81: To Be of Use Jun 12, 2009

The beauty of the familiar.

Episode 80: Turning Out May 29, 2009

New stuff from old.

Episode 79: Stitches in Time May 15, 2009

On using it up.

Episode 78: The Bill of Goods May 08, 2009

On mending, and making do.

Episode 77: Personal Best Mar 27, 2009

The Magnum Opus

Episode 76: Panacea Mar 06, 2009

This is your brain on knitting.

Episode 75: Epiphany Feb 21, 2009

The play's the thing.

Episode 74: Fling Feb 06, 2009

It's not the thing you fling.

Episode 73: The Poetry of Code Jan 23, 2009

The Alchemical journey begins with code.

Episode 72: The Alchemy of Pie Dec 31, 2008

Kim Werker discovers it's all one big spiral.

Episode 71: True Purpose Dec 05, 2008

The usual suspects, and a red sweater.

Episode 70: All the Chocolates in the Box Oct 31, 2008

Cast On's Third Anniversary

Episode 69: Lovingly Hand Knit By You Sep 27, 2008

Crafting it forward, and the spider catcher.

Episode 68: Knitting Renaissance Sep 12, 2008

Sweater weather in wet West Wales.

Episode 67: I Can Stop When I Want To Aug 29, 2008

Intarsia curious? I can help.

Episode 66: Curiosity and the Cat Aug 15, 2008

Tales of ridiculously simple knitting.

Episode 65: Absent Friends Jun 26, 2008

For Jean

Episode 64: Best Thing Ever Jun 08, 2008

The sights, sounds and smells of SeaSocks '08, and Today's Sweater.

Episode 63: Moving Moutains Apr 28, 2008

The title of the podcast gets passing mention, and bears no relation to anything actually in it.

Episode 62: Heads Up Mar 29, 2008

It's a hat thing.

Episode 61: The zine Scene Feb 29, 2008

Apologies, follwed by lust, loss and redemption.

Episode 60: Little Ripples. Jan 26, 2008

One row scarves, mended clogs, little ripples and sleeping dogs.

Episode 59: Start as you mean to go on. Dec 31, 2007

Say it with skulls.

Episode 58: Knitting Time Nov 30, 2007

Italy, Italy, Italy.

Episode 57: I Speak Jive Oct 05, 2007

"Oh Stewardess..."

Episode 56: Other People's Voices Sep 22, 2007

I have always depended upon the kindness of strangers.

Episode 55: Play Ball Sep 07, 2007

"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom." William BLake

Episode 54: Knitting Nature Aug 31, 2007

How do you knit squares that are less than square, and spirals that are more than spirals? Answers to these, and other enigmatic questions, in this episode.

Episode 53: Buttons, badges, bright shiny beads. Aug 17, 2007

You want beads? You got beads. And badges too.

Episode 52: Finding My Mojo Jul 28, 2007

I lose it, fall down, and bitch a lot, but it all comes round in the end.

Episode 51: That's Mistress Dork, to you. Jun 29, 2007

The dork factor.

Episode 50: Scouting for Grownups Jun 16, 2007

A Chief Scout, a Secret Life, and camping.

Episode 49: Woolly Wonders May 25, 2007

Advice from a Poncho, and Wonderwool Wales.

Episode 48: Whirled Peas May 11, 2007

Eurovision and knitting for peas.

Episode 47: Life on Mars Apr 20, 2007

Secret Lives and the C Word.

Episode 46: Back in the Saddle Mar 23, 2007

It's good to be back!

Episode 45: SSK Feb 11, 2007

Slip Slip Knit

Episode 44: A Good Day Jan 19, 2007

A knitting journey begins in South America, with Charles Voth, and ends in Nova Scotia, with Lucy Neatby.

Episode 42: Home for the Holiday Nov 23, 2006

Knitting socks, cursing clogs and grateful thanks.

Episode 43: Granny's Book Nov 23, 2006

More sock knitting, finished with clogs and still thankful.

Episode 41: A Love Story Nov 10, 2006

Short, but no less sweet, this week we fall in love.

Episode 40: Get Warped Nov 03, 2006

This week we find a theme, get warped, and continue the wiki conversation.

Episode 39: The Romney Oct 27, 2006

It's been a year! Dave, Ed, Ethel, Syne, Heather, Sage, Franklin, and Joanne help me celebrate.

Episode 38: Business As Usual Sep 22, 2006

We keep our Sense of Place, and Free Knitting Culture

Episode 37: Mill(w)right Sep 15, 2006

Norwegian sweaters, a millwright, and Action Man Orange.

Episode 36: Bling Sep 08, 2006

No, seriously. It's the pits.

Episode 35: Local Colour Sep 01, 2006

It's the pits.

Episode 34: Knitting Mash Up Aug 25, 2006

Winners and grannies and how to mash knitting.

Episode 33: The one without a clever title. Aug 11, 2006

Some weeping, some cheap tools, some fabulous kniting tips. Business as usual.

Episode 32: Gwlana (Woolgathering) Aug 04, 2006

Gathering Wool in Wales

Episode 31: Forever Summer Jul 28, 2006

In Search of the Perfect Sock Pattern

Episode 30: In Search of Our Grandmother's Rocking Chair Jul 21, 2006

In which we examine our knitting roots.

Episode 29: You are Here Jul 08, 2006

In which we begin by not really beginning.

Episode 28: The Snatchel Jun 10, 2006

This week Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, makes us knit silly things.

Episode 27: The Church of Knitting Jun 02, 2006

Polyhymnia, the Muse of Sacred Song, helps us see the sacred inside the ordinary.

Episode 26: Knit One, Give Too May 26, 2006

Erato, Muse of Love Poetry, inspires us to knit for people we love.

Episode 25: Unforced Perspective May 19, 2006

Knit harmoniously with Euterpe, the Muse of Music, by your side.

Episode 24: Second-hand Rows May 12, 2006

Celebrate your knitting legacy with Clio, the Muse of History.

Episode 23: Flogging the Proverbial May 06, 2006

This week Urania, Muse of Astronomy, teaches us how to stop doing what isn't working.

Episode 22: Knit Like Nobody's Watching Apr 28, 2006

This week Terpsichore, Muse of the Dance, teaches us how to knit like nobody's watching.

Episode 21: Secret Water Apr 21, 2006

Melpomene, Muse of Tragedy, knows that uncertainty and despair often bring with them lessons of patience, compassion, and strength.

Episode 20: Autumn overlooked my knitting Apr 15, 2006

Calliope, firstborn of the Muses, uses Epic Poetry to preserve the great stories of the ages. She invites you to begin an epic knitting project.

Episode 19: Knitting Memory Apr 08, 2006

Creativity begins with Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory.

Episode 18: The Dog Ate My Podcast Mar 31, 2006

Should have been a Muse here, but Ruby happened.

Episode 17: The Muggle Show Mar 24, 2006

Raconteur. Now there's a word we don't see enough of. This week's guest host is Chicago writer, artist and raconteur, Franklin Habit.

Episode 16: Steel Hooks Mar 17, 2006

I don't crochet, but Sage, from Quirky Nomads is an expert at it. Lucky for us then that Sage is this week's guest host.

Episode 15: Working Up a Sweater Mar 10, 2006

The one with Dave from Chub Creek.

Episode 14: Land of My Fathers Mar 04, 2006

The one for the people who think I talk too much about knitting, and feel there should be more monks in the podcast.

Episode 13: On Gauge Feb 24, 2006

This week's show is better than a poke in the eye with a pointy stick.

Episode 12: Green Feb 17, 2006

I am easily confused; a fact that becomes evident about 7 seconds into the podcast.

Episode 11: The Uninvited Guest Feb 10, 2006

Fifty two minutes and forty seconds of Ritual Humiliation Free Podcasting, and Franklin Habit.

Episode 10: Bitch and Bitch Feb 05, 2006

We stitch. We bitch. We stitch AND bitch, together.

Episode 8, I mean 9: Crouch we here awhile, and lurk. Jan 27, 2006

The movie episode. I manage to mention, quote, or describe scenes from no less than four films in this episode, none of which contain knitting.

Episode 8: Where My Books Go Jan 20, 2006

No essay, but some really good post-chili ritual humiliation.

Episode 7: Deny the Knit Jan 13, 2006

It's the Blue Episode, and Gail Lucas thinks people who don't behave themselves should have to work harder for their knitted gifts.

Episode 6: Pulling a Geographic Jan 06, 2006

At least once in every podcast I manage to dig myself a nice hole, and then humiliate myself while I attempt to climb my way out of it. See if you can spot where that happens this time.

Episode 5: A Cup of Kindness Jan 01, 2006

It was the perfect family Christmas. If by perfect you mean overcooked turkey, badly behaved relatives and something viral taking up residence in your digestive system.

Episode 4: Holiday on Ice Dec 22, 2005

No, those aren't sleigh bells. That's the sound of ice tinkling, merrily, in my glass of scotch.

Episode 3: The Sharper End of the Needles Dec 09, 2005

Knitting for love. Chicago writer, Franklin Habit, wonders if anyone is truly worthy.

Episode 2: A Knitter's Manifesto Nov 29, 2005

What does it really take to be a knitter?

Episode 1.5: A Snow Day Nov 27, 2005

A Snow Day

Episode 1: All There is to Know Nov 11, 2005

How a podcast is just like a magazine, only different.

Halloween Special Oct 31, 2005

A disturbing tale of good yarn gone bad. Not for the faint of heart.